Automatic sheet-separating device



M. O'CONNOR.

AUTOMATIC SHEET SEPABATING DEVICE.

gmantoz Maurice O Connor 4 aktozmg MAURICE OGO-NNOR, OF BANKS'ION, IOWA,

AUTOMATIC SHEET-SEPARATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed October 24, 1917. Serial No. 198,346.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAURICE OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bankston, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sheet-Separating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to that class of inventions that have for their purpose to automatically separate the material to be printed and present it to the printing press, and has for its leading object to provide means, whereby only one sheet, envelop, card or other materialto be printed upon, shall be automatically separated from the pack and delivered singly to the press.

The manner in which this is accomplished and the mode of operation are fully set out in the following specification when read in connection with the drawings accompanying the same and forming a part hereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine when the hooks are about to engage a sheet.

Fig. 3 is a side view, showing one of the hooks engaging the sheet and bending it over.

Fig. 4 is a side view showing an edge of the drum taking the sheet from the hook and delivering it out of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, 2 represents a drum or cylinder, which is mounted on an axle 4 and adapted to rotate on standards 5 and provided with a driving handle 6. From one side of the cylinder is cut a longitudinal portion or section leaving the opening or space 8 for the purposes presently to appear.

The standards 5 with the cylinder mounted thereon are secured to a table 10 which is provided with legs 12 and 14, and bent at 13. The rear legs 14 are somewhat longer than the front legs which causes the table to slant upwardly from the base of the standards 5 to the rear end of the table for the purpose presently to appear.

For the purpose of holding in connection with the incline of the table, the sheets to be separated on an incline toward the cylinder, there is secured to the table 10 an angular member 16 preferably of triangular shape, against which the sheets rest on an incline. There are also fastened to the table members 18 that project up over and engage the upper ends of the inclined sheets and hold them in fixed and in reclining positions.

Upon or near the opposite edges of the table are also secured two other standards 20 which are connected together by a shaft 22, also to the opposite sides of the table are secured bearing blocks 24 and 26. The blocks 24 support the opposite ends of a shaft 28 and the blocks 26 a shaft 30. on the shafts 22, 28, and 30 are mounted loose pulleys 32, 34 and 36, around which pulleys endless tapes or cords 40 are adapted to travel and deliver the separated sheet to a printing press, or out of the machine.

To one edge 42 of the cylinder at the opening 8, are secured one or more sensitive springs 44 having at or near their outer ends hooks 45 preferably like the hook of a crochet needle. These springs are preferably very delicate and most easily flexed and the hooks are of nearly V-shape with the point projecting in the direction where the spring is secured to the cylinder.

The manner of operating my device is substantially as follows: The sheets, envelops, cards, or other matter 50 to be separated are placed with their ends or edges against the table and inclining against the angular member 16 and the members 18 in, contact with the upper edges of the sheets or envelops. Then the operator grasps the crank 6 and rotates the cylinder, this brings the springs 44 over toward the sheets 50 and a further rotation of the cylinder will cause the spring with the hook to bend back holding the sheet or envelop until the edge 52 of the cylinder will have engaged the bent sheet and pressed it down upon the tapes 40 and caused the tapes to travel over the pulleys 32, 34 and 36 carrying on the tapes between the cylinder and tapes the sheet and delivering it to the press at the end of the table.

It will be seen by this mode of construction and operation that only the lower sheet will be separated from the other sheets and be bent over and finally delivered upon the tapes.

It will also be seen that as the sheets set on an incline that the lower sheet will project slightly above the others so that there will be no occasion for the hooks to engage but one sheet at a time, and further that the springs being exceedingly sensitive and the hooks so slight that they will engage only one sheet without reference to the thickness of the sheet, or its texture.

I have not shown any specific mode of delivering the separated sheets to a printing press, as that would be a separate device to be adapted to diiferent makes of printing machines.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, means for sustaining sheets in a forwardly inclined position including an overhanging member equipped to detachably retain the upper edge of the foremost sheet, friction carrying means, and a revoluble hook cooperating with the carrying means and arranged to engage the upper edges of the sheets, one at a time, and also arranged to withdraw the upper edge of the foremost sheet from engagement with the overhanging member and direct said edge into said carrying means.

2. In a device of the character described, a table pitched forwardly and downwardly, a rest on the upper side of said table, and arranged to maintain sheets in a forwardly inclined position, a member on the rear portion of said table and overhanging the rear and equipped to detachably retain the upper edge of the foremost sheet, a drum mounted in front of the rest and the overhanging member and having a recess in its side, a hook carried by the drum and arranged to withdraw the upper edge of the foremost sheet from engagement with the overhanging member and draw the same into the recess of the drum, and a belt the upper stretch of which is opposed to and movable by the perimeter of the drum.

3. Ina device of the character described, means for sustaining the sheets in an inclined position including a table and an inclined member, a drum having a longitudinal section removed, a hook attached to the drum, and adapted to engage the lower sheet of the mass and bend it back, tapes adapted to cooperate with the drum for engaging the bent sheet and delivering it from the machine.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MAURICE OCONNOR.

Witnesses:

J. E. OBRIEN, J. W. KIRBY. 

